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22 January 2009 Women's tournament Chelmsford finish 3rd hosting county women’s event Reflecting the increasing local interest in women’s volleyball, Essex Volleyball Association plan to run a series of women’s events over the season. The first of these was held on Thursday last at Anglia Ruskin University’s Mildmay Sportshall. Although the county boasts three National league sides many of the women players at other clubs play in mixed teams. They were therefore keen to play over the official women’s height of 2.24m some 19cm lower than the men’s and mixed height. Six teams from Brentwood, Tendring, Southend, Romford and county based Exiles joined Chelmsford for a two pool round robin followed by cross pool play offs for final positions. The home team of Sylvie Parkinson (capt) Emily Kearney, Julia Lapham, Charlotte Mower, Alicia Hector and Claudia Lambert was involved in the first game against Southend and this turned out to be a cliff-hanger. Chelmsford settled first with Kearny and Hector leading the attack to pull out a lead. Southend responded and it needed the cool head of Parkinson to keep the Chelmsford score ticking over. At 24-24 the home team’s nerve held to take the game 25-24. Chelmsford’s last pool game was against Brentwood who with mainly national league players had easily defeated Southend 25-13 at one stage being 24-8 up before a spirited fight back. Chelmsford ended up with the same scoreline although in the early exchanges they looked able to trade shots with their more experienced opponents. This game saw the play of the evening as Mower blocked out Brentwood’s main attacker, the only time that evening this was achieved. In the other pool the other national league team, Tendring took first spot with easy wins over Exiles and Romford. These two sides played out another close match with Romford edging it 25-24 to set up a play of match with the hosts. The play off the first and second saw Brentwood always in control as Claire McAlister game a match winning display of how to cover the court and set up the attack. Her hitters responded as Brentwood took the title 25-15. In the bronze position play off Chelmsford continued to improve with the combination of Parkinson setting to Hector a particularly effective one. Lapham and Mower patrolled the back court and Kearny was always on hand to attack any ball that was played through the middle. Lambert always seemed to pop up when a gap appeared in Chelmsford’s defence to pop the ball up. All round team spirit saw Chelmsford hold off a late charge from Romford to take the match 25-22. The play off for 5th/6th positions between Southend and Exiles was equally tight with neither team able to get more than a point in from right the way to 18-18. Maybe it was tiredness as the competition had been going for some three hours, but somehow Exiles were just unable to hold their form and allowed Southend to spurt to the line for a 25-20 win. Final positions were – 1. Brentwood; 2.Tendring; 3.Chelmsford; 4.Romford; 5.Southend; 6.Exiles. |